This blog will serve as a diary covering the construction of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ football stadium in Port Elizabeth/Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa as well as looking at progress on the other 2010 stadiums.

10 January 2009

The 12th girder was lifted late this week. Meanwhile girders 2, 3 and 4 are still rceiving cladding. 4's cladding is now onto the cantilever section of the girder as it moves it's way up. The girders, especially cladded, bare a striking resemblance to the paper nautilus shell found along our South Africa's coastline (hence the title). In a surprise move, a fifth jig (girder template) has been assembled on site and so we currently have four nearly completed girders on jigs, as well as a fifth jig on which the first two 'tusk-like' components are about to be lifted. I expect we'll see a number of lifts in quick succession if the wind dies down next week.

As cladding nears completion on the third truss, top, the resemblance to the paper nautilus shell becomes increasingly striking.

The 12th girder to be lifted can be seen on the right, while in the distance another is readied.

The Kobelco crane was already connected to the 13th girder, but gusts impeded the lift.

The brave men attaching cladding to the fourth. Once again, note the resemblance to our shell.

These guys are seriously brave/mad.

A nice close view of the newly lifted 12th.

A close look at the cladding on the fourth. Note how the transparency decreases as we move up the girder. This is because of large perforations at the bottom, getting smaller, until there are ultimately no perforations in the aluminium.

Looking through a jig, to a group of girders, either being built, or ready to be lifted into place.

And yet another update on the Newton Park Swimming Pool. Roofing girders and purlins attached, awaiting the sheeting.

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About Me

I am a student doing a BSc degree at Rhodes University.
I created this blog to chart South Africa's progress in its preparations for the greatest show on Earth. This show is now complete so I leave you with possibly the best 2010 preparation diary on the web. Enjoy.